Couples Fertility Team

Phyllis Zelkowitz, Ed.D. – Primary Investigator. Dr. Zelkowitz is a clinical psychologist and Research Director in the Department of Psychiatry at the Jewish General Hospital, and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, McGill University. She is a Senior Investigator at the Lady Davis Institute, and Head of its Psychosocial Axis. She has served as Associate Chair of the Jewish General Hospital Research Ethics Committee, and is the Chair of its Science Committee.

Her research interests are in the field of perinatal mental health, incorporating individual, contextual, and cultural factors. She has received grants from both provincial and federal funding agencies to pursue her research program. Her current research involves an examination of the social context and psychological distress in couples seeking fertility treatment. She published the first data showing that public funding for in vitro fertilization in Quebec has afforded access to treatment in previously underserved patient groups.

Dr. Peter Chan* is a clinician-scientist with over 20 years of experience in fundamental and clinical research in male reproductive medicine and male fertility preservation after cancer therapy. He is a urological surgeon at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Director of Male Reproductive Medicine, and an Associate Professor of Urology at McGill University.

Dr. Cindy-Lee Dennis* is a Professor at the Lawrence S. Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto. She holds the Canada Research Chair in Perinatal Community Health (University of Toronto), and in Women’s Health Research (St. Michael’s Hospital). She is an expert in the development and evaluation of peer support programs. Website

Dr. Carolyn Ells* is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Member of the Biomedical Ethics Unit at McGill University. She brings expertise in bioethics and a research focus on patient-centred care theory and application.

Dr. Nancy Feeley* is an Associate Professor at the Ingram School of Nursing at McGill University and a nurse researcher at the Centre for Nursing Research at the JGH. She brings expertise in the areas of psychological distress, coping and marital relations in couples who experience non-normative events in the perinatal period.

Dr. Hananel Holzer* is the Medical Director of the McGill Reproductive Centre and Assistant Professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at McGill University. He is the Editor of the Oncofertility section of the Cancer Knowledge Network website.

Dr. Lawrence Joseph* is Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at McGill University. He is an expert in biostatistical modeling. His current research focuses on diagnostic tests in the absence of a gold standard and Bayesian methods for study design and sample size determination.

Dr. Carmen Loiselle* is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, the Co-Director (academic) at the Segal Cancer Centre (Jewish General Hospital), Senior Scientist at the Lady Davis Institute and the Centre for Nursing Research (JGH) as well as Scientific Director of Hope & Cope – a hospital and community-based cancer support organization. She investigates the effects of e-health and m-health interventions on psychosocial adjustment to cancer and health care service use among individuals with cancer relying on various quantitative, qualitative approaches and mixed methods.

Dr. Zeev Rosberger* is the Chief of the Psychology Department and the Louise Granofsky-Psychosocial Oncology Program, and a Senior Investigator at the Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research of the JGH. He is a clinical psychologist, who has collaborated with Dr. Chan on a longitudinal study of the impact of infertility on young men with cancer receiving chemotherapy.

Dr. Sonia Semenic uses mixed methods, case study and participatory research approaches to examine factors influencing the development and implementation of evidence-informed practices in perinatal health.

Dr. Janet Takefman* is the Director of Psychological Services at the MUHC Reproductive Centre, and Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at McGill University. She is an experienced reproductive health psychologist, researcher and educator, and one of the developers of the FertiQoL instrument.

Dr. Togas Tulandi* is the Academic Vice Chairman of Obstetrics and Gynecology at McGill University. He is a trained reproductive endocrinologist and world-renowned infertility specialist.